Development of Advanced Abrasive Electrodischarge Grinding (EDG) System for Machining Difficult-to-Cut Materials

本计画将研究金属结合剂钻石砂轮之研磨放电研磨或旋转放电加工。 AEDG结合了电腐蚀的优点，这是独立的材料硬度，金刚石磨削，提供精度和更好的表面完整性。 初步结果表明，AEDG比EDG具有更高的生产率和更好的表面质量。 然而，现有的AEDG系统缺乏以下能力：（1）容易且经济地产生复杂的表面形状;（2）避免电弧和不稳定的加工;（3）加工低导电性的材料;以及（4）选择最佳性能参数并控制工艺。 该项目将开发一个精确的在线间隙监测和控制系统，一个增强的发电机，一个用于复杂表面生成的2轴数控砂轮修整单元，以及具有互联网功能的机器操作软件。完成的AEDG系统的实验测试将进行高生产率，易于操作，经济，能力，准确性和环境兼容性。AEDG系统如果研制成功，有望使EDG和电火花加工工具的科技水平实现重大飞跃。 这种进步将可能为美国EDM和EDG技术的生产商和用户提供急需的帮助，用于加工先进材料，如高温合金，工程陶瓷和金属基复合材料。

Abrasive Electrodischarge Grinding (AEDG), or rotary electrodischarge machining (EDM) with a metal bonded diamond wheel, will be studied in this project. AEDG combines the benefits of electric erosion, which is independent of material hardness, and diamond grinding, which provides precision and better surface integrity. The preliminary results indicate that AEDG offers higher productivity with better surface quality than EDG. However, the existing AEDG system lacks the capacity to: (1) easily and economically generate complex surface shapes; (2) avoid arcing and unstable machining; (3) machine materials of low electrical conductivity; and (4) select optimal performance parameters and control the process. The project will develop an accurate on-line gap monitoring and control system, an enhanced power generator, a 2-axis NC wheel dressing unit for complex surface generation, and machine operation software with Internet capabilities. An experimental testing of the completed AEDG system will be conducted for high productivity, ease of operation, economy, capability, accuracy, and environmental compatibility. The AEDG system, if successfully developed, is expected to make a major leap forward in the scientific and technological levels of EDG and EDM tools. Such an advance will likely provide much needed assistance to the United States producers and users of EDM and EDG technologies for the machining of advanced materials such as superalloys, engineering ceramics, and metal matrix composites.